A Bloody Rose
by Winnifred Artemis
Summary: Zero is struggling to hide his growing vampire nature. He has tried to keep it at bay, but lately it has grown stronger and he is now painfully aware of the red fluid. Will he be able to hold it in? Or will he lose to his inner monster and launch out on those he care about the most? And if he learned of a cure to his miserable life, how far would he be willing to go to get it?
1. Part 1 - The Sweet Scent

**A/N:  
**Here's another 'Vampire Knight fanfiction for you guys. It's not really that much as a pairing story as my last one - the 'What about us?' story, but it still contains a little pairing.

The reason I started writing on this one was because of the 'Twisted Fiction' challenge for January 2015. The classic we were supposed to base our work on was 'The Beauty and the Beast', and since I mostly write fanfiction, I ended up here.

Sure, I know that the story might not fit the criteria perfectly, but I'm still happy with what I managed to produce.

Oh, and I should probably mention that this is only the first of several parts. I'm working on the restoring ones now, and I'll get it up quite soon. so yeah, make to to follow me and the story to get the rest of it - because personally I think the second part is even better.

As always I'd like to know what you guys think of my story, so it would be nice if you left a review ^^

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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to RND4EVA, Allen Crowley and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 1 - ****The Sweet Scent**

* * *

Red eyes. Burning. Glittering in the darkness.

I hurried to look away from the mirror. My reflection was something I despised for the last six months. The features of my face had grown firmer and were now looking like the ones of a man. It was approaching.

I had known that it, someday, would happen, ever since the day I had seen one of the girls in my class accidentally cut herself on a knife in a cooking lesson. I couldn't understand why, but suddenly my nostrils had widened, sucking in the smell of something sweet. I thought it came from one of the stoves; that one of the girls had ignored the lesson's dish, and instead had baked some kind of sugary treat. I had turned around to confront her, but as I did, my eyes widened and I felt my heart beat like mad.

The sensation had been overwhelming. My eyes had locked on her hand and the drops of sweet, red blood erupting from her smooth, perfect skin… My heart had abruptly stopped then. I couldn't believe my own thoughts, and at the same time I felt ashamed. Ashamed that I was enjoying it, and fear of what was happening to me.

Without a warning, the room was filled with light. My arm instinctively rose, covering my eyes, shielding them from the blinding light.

"Zero?"

My sister's voice brought me back to the present, and I turned my head slightly to the side. In the corner of my eye I could see her standing in the doorway. She wasn't wearing her normal, black uniform, just a simple white nightgown. A shiver went through my body and I felt my throat tighten.

"What are you doing in here?" I asked, realizing a bit too late that my words came out a bit harsh.

"Eh!" Her hands moved to her hips and she pushed the door wide open. "I'm the one who's living here! You on the other hand…"

She was clearly annoyed. The reason I was using the toilet in the headmaster's apartment was well known to her. In difference to her, I had chosen to live in one of the rooms in the male dorm. It had been good for me to spend time alone there, but still, our duty to patrol the school at night made it impossible for me to use the dorm bathroom, it was closed off after midnight.

"Never mind," Yuki shook her head, letting her chocolate colored hair dance across her pale neck. "I know you can't use your own bathroom, but that doesn't explain why you're here in the dark."

"..."

"Zero!"

"Headache." I muttered, looking down in the sink in front of me. "I... have a headache."

"A- Oh..." Yuki's voice softened and I could hear the soft steps of her feet against the tiles. Without another word she came over to my side and picked up her toothbrush. Applying the toothpaste, she tilted her head and looked over at me.

"What?" I averted my eyes as fast as I could. No one was to know of my curse. Not even her.

"Have you taken the pills?"

"What?!" My eyes widened. She didn't she know, did she?

"Here," She opened the medicine cabinet to her left and soon after handed me a pillbox. "I know you don't like to take medicine, but these really will make your head feel better."

I looked down at the package. It contained just regular painkillers. I couldn't help but smile. So sweet, so beautiful, so innocent.

Though Yuki had grown up close to vampires, she had always managed to keep her human nature and innocence. In many ways that had surprised me. This girl had been through training and education that all gave her a better chance to understand the dangers and threats created by vampires, but still… Whenever I saw her with the night students, she seemed so… It was as if she had simply accepted them. That even though she knew what they were, it didn't make her stay away. In a way it was foolish of her. If any of those monsters were to attack her, her staff and skills wouldn't do much to protect her.

"Zero? Ehm, are you alright? Should I go get the headmaster?"

"... No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You really don't look well tonight."

"I said I'm fine!" I'd launched out, and once again I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. "No… I'm sorry. Yuki."

Suddenly I felt a warm hand touch me. It was a gentle touch, so warm and safe and-! My heart skipped a beat. I could smell it; smell the blood running through the veins of her hand. Before I could stop myself I had grasped her wrist in my hand and pulled her close to me. Her body felt stiff under my touch, but I couldn't let go. Her smell was just too strong, too good.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	2. Part 2 - The Devil Inside

**A/N:  
**This is chapter two, but the funny thing is that I actually wrote this chapter before I even started on the first one.

Well, in the previous AN I wrote that there would be several parts. At first I thought it would be three parts of this story... Well, some changes. I've been thinking of making it five chapters. This is still not entirely sure yet though. But I think I'll know more when I publish the next part :P

Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general. So leave a review, okay? ^^

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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to RND4EVA, Allen Crowley and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 2 - ****The Devil Inside**

* * *

Whispers from the dark. A mouth-watering offer. A promise.

I've heard it ever since I was little. The voice keeps calling for me. Telling me that all can be mine, that all I've ever wanted is just a drop away. The devil inside. That is what my parents had called it. It was a demon within the demon. The core of the being that lusted for blood. I had found it detestable back then, just the thought of these that craved the life and juices of their friends and family. They could no longer be seen as humans - not even as living creatures. All that they were was evil. The core, the soul, and the long dead heart. All of it was dead, and there was no reason for them to exist.

I hated those beings; at least, I thought I did. Then, when the night came, and we were visited by the red eyed monster, that was when I knew… The feeling inside me made the earlier hatred fade away and become nothing but a childish dislike. The look I saw in the eyes of that woman - no, of the beast, was nothing that could ever be seen in something human-like. For years, all I could see when I closed my eyes was her. The way she fixated her eyes on me, letting the body of my father drop lifelessly to the floor, forgetting about him as soon as she did.

Her eyes had been burning. Burning hotter and more intense than any flames I'd ever seen, while they made me feel colder than I'd ever felt before. I hadn't been scared. I hadn't been anything. All that I could do was stare into those eyes, knowing what would soon happen and that there was nothing I could do change that. As she came towards me, I could feel my pulse quicken and my heart rate accelerated, with each and every step. She didn't stop until she was standing close enough for me to feel the cold she radiated. Her pale, white skin reflected the moonlight streaming through the window as she lifted her hand and reached for me. I had closed my eyes, waited for the stinging pain that would be the beginning of my death. However, what I felt wasn't a sharp prickle, but a chill touch of her hand as she pushed my head to one side in an almost gently manner.

_'Such… a child.'_

The beautiful woman hadn't spoken a word, but I could hear her. Her soft touch burned against my skin. I wanted to scream, to run away, to get as far away as I could. But I didn't. I didn't do any of those things. I couldn't. My body was numb and frozen, unable to listen to anything I told it. _It's as if it doesn't belong to me anymore,_ I had thought as I realized that it was _her_ doing. Her touch, a simple stroke on my cheek, and I had become hers.

Slowly, she let the tips of her fingers move along my face. My cheekbone, my chin, down my throat and- her hand stopped, her index finger lingering on a vein. I could feel my heart beating even harder, my blood stream more intense than ever before. A gasp escaped the lips of the monster, and suddenly I felt a stinging pain as her fingernails tore the skin of my neck.

_'So… sweet.'_

I didn't cry. I wanted to, but I couldn't. Nothing. I did nothing. The blazing red eyes met mine and I had no choice but to look back. It was dark. Looking into her eyes I realized that behind the red, there was only dark. _Nothing, I thought, there's nothing inside_. The nothingness that drenched live, and left nothing but the nothingness itself. It was coming for me, I could feel it.

As she leaned over towards me, her eyes burning intensely, I prayed my first and last prayer. I had never been religious. Growing up as a child of a hunter family didn't give much time or foundation for believing in a higher power. However, I did pray. I prayed for my life, for my rescue. I wanted this nightmare to end. For me to be free. I wanted to live.

Over and over I prayed, begged and pleaded in my thoughts, repeating it over and over, hoping desperately it would save me.

The pain was gruesome, and I nearly lost consciousness, as the beast let its fangs pierce through my skin and into my flesh. I gasped for air, feeling as I was drowning, even though she was sucking out the liquid of my body.

_'And yet...'_

The pressure on my neck lessened, and suddenly I was staring into her face again. This time, however, I wasn't looking at her eyes. No, my eyes were fixated on her lips. Her red lips. Red from blood; _my_ blood.

_'... strong'_

Before I knew what was happening, she was gone. Disappearing into thin air, leaving me alone and bleeding in the mess created of the bodies of my dead parents. _Alone… but alive_, I told myself. _I'm still alive_. I couldn't help but smile. My prayers had been answered. I had been spared. What an irony it had been. What she did to me made me long for a fate like my father's.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	3. Part 3 - The Melting Heart

**A/N:  
**Sorry for taking time, you guys! I was planning to make this one a quick project, but I just really lost my motivation - both when it comes to writing and doing stuff in general. However, Camp NaNoWriMo starts tomorrow, and one of my priories is to write the remaining chapters and complete this story. So yeah, it won't be to long until you get more of them I hope.

Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general. So leave a review, okay? ^^

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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to RND4EVA, Allen Crowley and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 3 - "****The Melting Heart"**

* * *

"Zero?"

She didn't struggle. She never had. More than anything I think she was surprised that it, for once, was me that initiated physical contact.

"Zero?"

"..." I came back to myself and hurried to release the girl. _What's going on with me today?!_

"Are you sure you're alright?" Yuki turned and felt my forehead with the back of her hand; the worry seen in her eyes had increased.

"Stop that," I pushed her away, desperate to get away from the sweet liquid in her. "I told you that I'm fine. Stop bugging me, it's annoying."

I could see how the words hit her. She did her best to conceal it, but for a slight moment, I could see a dark shadow on her face.

"Ah! I know what you're up to!" The energy injected in her voice was forced; I could easily hear it. However, just as she probably wished, I wanted the two of us to act normally. "You just want to be sick so that you can stay in bed without having to patrol the school!" She pointed an accusing finger at me. "No way! I'm not letting you get away with that. If I'm to be up half the night, then you will as well."

Before I could open my mouth to protest, Yuki grabbed me by my wrist and dragged me out of the bathroom, across the hallway, and into my old bedroom.

"Y-Yuki, wait. Stop!" As the door closed behind us, I jerked my hand back and turned to leave the room again.

"Zero, please."

Harsh words lay in my mouth as I looked over my shoulder, but as I saw her, I forgot all about them.

Yuki was standing over by the window, and the moonlight shimmering through it bathed her silhouette in a white glow.

"I-"

"I know," Yuki continued before I could say anything more. "I know that you don't like being here..."

"..."

"By moving out of this room you wanted to stand on your own two feet, right? To be able to be something more than the foster kid of the headmaster? I thought I understood, but recently… It's like you don't want to have anything to do with us... Is that how you feel?"

"..." I couldn't answer her. How could I? Most of what she said was true. The reason I had decided to move in with the other male students was so that I could get away from the overly including headmaster. It was nice of him - I would be ungrateful if I didn't realize that, but I had never felt comfortable playing his game of 'happy family'. I had moved out, but I had not meant to distance myself from them - not to that degree - and especially not from Yuki…. That was, until my hunger grew to the extent that I feared for her safety - as well as my sanity, every time we were together.

"We're not your family. I get that. We can't replace your parents or your brother. Even though they're dead, you still cherish them. I'm not telling you that you should forget about them, just… just that you are someone that I consider family. I know my situation is nothing like yours. I never had a family. At least not any I can remember. For me, the headmaster is all that I have. Him, and you, Zero."

If my heart had been of ice, it would have turned into nothing but a puddle of blood. How could I expect myself to turn around and stay away from her like that. It was too hard and too harsh - not only towards her, but to myself as well. Even though I had been the oldest one and I was expected to be watching over her, she had been watching over me. Whenever the days were hard or lonely, she would be there. She would look after me and warm me up with a smile as bright as the sun. Even though most people thought of the headmaster as my savior, I knew that she had been the one to save me. The one to rescue my soul and heart and the one that always would bring out the best in me.

But...

"Well, I'm not like you. I'm not planning to stay here for the rest of my life. It might be your plan, but don't include me in like that. Sure, we lived together, but personally I can't wait to get away from this place." I couldn't look at her. There were many bad things that I wouldn't flinch to do, but I knew that I would never be able to lie to her while looking into those big pools of chocolate.

"I know but-." Yuki cut herself off, hesitation gleaming in her eyes. She was thinking, I knew. Debating with herself about what to say. "Sorry," she looked in my direction, but her eyes didn't seem to see me. "I'm selfish. I know that I don't - that nobody has the right to make that decision for you. But, I just… I know that you will leave someday, but I really miss having you here - and the headmaster does too. I'm not asking you to move back in, but…" She lifted her gaze and our eyes met. "Couldn't you just stay here… just for a little while?"

I could not say no. Inside me I felt as if I should have made her stay away, but I couldn't. It was impossible. All that she wanted was to help me, and wanted me to be there, to have me close to her. I realized then that I might actually _needed_ her to be by my side - if only just for a little while longer...

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	4. Part 4 - The Dangerous Game

**A/N:  
**I'm so slow, so sloooooow. But yeah, this is the fourth chapter, so yeah, going strong here I guess^^. Yeah, I know, it's like waaaaaaaaooooaaaw. Sorry, a little silly in the head right now. Anyway, I'm as good as done with writing the next chapter, so I don't think it will take long.

Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general. So leave a review, okay? ^^

**Do like /follow me if you enjoy my stuff:**  
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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to RND4EVA, Allen Crowley and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 4 - "****The Dangerous Game"**

* * *

I woke up with a terrible hammering in my head. Great, just what I needed. For a minute I considered staying in bed, but no, that would just create more trouble. I kicked off the blanket and sat up. The hammering got worse. God! Why? Wasn't it enough to have me suffer from bloodlust? As if a miracle, the hammering disappeared. I sat still, unsure what to think, when suddenly...

"Zero, are you in there? Zero?"

The hammering once again started, and I knew exactly what it was.

"Yuki, Can you-" But before I could finish my complaint, the door slammed open and... Yuki… Great, I had forgotten all about her morning activities and that waking me was one of them.

"Rise and shine!" She strode over towards me, and it was not until she reached the bed that she seemed to notice the fact that I already was very much awake. "Oh, Zero. You're up? That's gre-" Noticing her loss for words, I followed her eyes.

"Pervert," I told her, grinning as she jumped back. "Oh, what's up with the guilty expression? Was I right?"

"N-no. No! Of course not." Her face exploded in a collage of red. "Don't- Don't be absurd. You're the pervert. Put on some clothes."

"Well, you're the one that can't stop staring." Slowly, I let my fingers run through my hair, and pushed my naked chest closer to her on purpose. "And besides," I added, "you were the one that entered the room without asking."

"I thought you were sleeping!"

"Reassuring. So you actually wanted to enter my room while I was lying asleep in my bed. What was your plan, pervert?"

I knew I had her then. Yuki and I always fought, and up through the years I had gotten to know her well. Now, what I could read in her face now, was the signs of my victory.

"I-I… You're an idiot." She turned on her heel and would probably have left the room again, but I was faster. Quickly, I pushed myself up on my feet and, taking a long step, I was able to catch her by the waist.

"Ah!" Yuki's body stiffened for a short moment, but then her reflexes kicked in and she whirled around to face me. Or that was probably what she had tried to do. However, it seemed like my grip became an obstacle to her, and she lost her balance. For a few seconds I was able to hold her up, staggering, but then the gravity took hold of our bodies and we fell back and onto the bed.

"Omph!" The breath was squeezed out of me as I felt my foster-sister land on top of me. I struggled to breathe and instinctively I grabbed Yuki's waist again and hurled her around so that I was on top.

"Z-Zero!" Her voice seemed almost in shock and I looked down to see her stare up at me with wide eyes, her face was flushed like nothing I'd ever seen before.

It took me a second before I realized the situation. Not only were we in my bedroom and _on_ my bed, but I was also wearing nothing but my boxer briefs while lying on top of her, seemingly holding her down - and not to mention my knee that was pressed in-between her thighs.

"Uhm, I-" I didn't quite know what to say. What had happened had all been caused by an accident, but still… I gulped. What should I do? Well, I should get off her, of course, There was no doubt about that. But still… Did I want to? A shock went through me as I realized what I was thinking. Of course I was getting off her! _Move away, Zero,_ I told myself. _You know you can't do it. It's wrong of you, and she wouldn't want to - and even if she did, you would just put her in danger_.

"Aaaaah!" I couldn't take it anymore. As I let out my frustrated roar, I could feel Yuki's body tense, and my frustration built up even more.

"Ehm... What are you guys doing?"

We both stopped moving and looked in the direction of the sound. In the doorway I could see the silhouette of a girl.

"Oh hi, eh, Sayori." I greeted, trying to keep my voice calm… as if everything was normal.

"Hi..." The girl looked a bit surprised by my greeting. Well, it wasn't that strange really. She and Yuki had been friends ever since they met, but I hadn't really interacted with her. Sure, I would answer her of course, if she asked me about something - most of the things were concerning Yuki, and I did reply to her greetings, but I was never the one to greet her. "A-are you alright, Yuki?" I could see the concern in her eyes as she took in the sight in front of her. Oh god, what could she be thinking?!

"I, ehm, I..." Yuki stuttered, unsure of what to say - not that I blamed her. Hell, this situation would be difficult to explain. "I lost."

_What?!_

"You what?" Sayori must have been as confused as I was. What the hell was Yuki saying?

"I lost" she repeated, this time with a steadier voice. "We wrestled, just like in the old days, and I lost..."

"Well of course you did, you dummy." I played along. "You're as weak as a kid, of course you would lose." Then I turned my attention to her friend. "And can you please teach her some manners? I mean, sneaking up on people in their sleep to attack them just isn't fair."

"Oh… Ehm, okay." Sayori didn't seem like she knew what to think, but an instant later she shook her head and looked at Yuki. "You ready for school? We were going to talk with the professor before class, remember?"

"Oh, damn it, we were..." She started to wiggle underneath me, and I hurried off her. "I'm sorry Sayori, I totally forgot. Give me… 10 minutes, okay? There is some coffee in the kitchen if you want some."

"Thanks, you want me to pour one for you two too?"

We both declined, and Sayori left the doorway.

Yuki had now gotten on her feet and was heading for the door when she suddenly stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Well, I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yeah," I gave her a nod. "Take care… okay?"

Instantly I regretted it. What a stupid thing to say. She would think I was weird. But then, to my surprise, she send me a small, but sweet, smile. "You too." Then she closed the door behind her.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

**Again, please like /follow me if you enjoy my stuff:**  
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	5. Part 5 - The Unacceptable Price

**A/N:  
**For some reason I always feel like apologizing when writing these Authors Notes. I guess it has something with the fact that my life unfortunately isn't predicable or able to be put on a schedule. Still, I want you guys to know that I really don't push my projects back just because I don't feel like doing them - be course I really wanna write and share them with you guys!

Speaking of reasons to apolegize... *cough* When I started on 'A bloody rose', it was meant to be a oneshot. However, since I didn't get the time (because it was a part of a challenge), I decided to make it a 3-parted story. I then figured out that if I was to so, the ending would be quite sudden, so I went for 5 instead.

This is not news, but what's new is that I once again announce more chapters. No, it's not because of a sudden end - I could have ended it, but it's because I have a feeling that quite a few of you wouldn't have been pleased with the ending that I had originally planned for the story to have. So yeah, in hope to make more of you happy, I've rewritten the course of the story - which means a few additional chapters.

If you're interested in knowing the originally planned ending, just leave a review requesting for it, and I'll send you a brief summary of a paragraph or two.

Okay, so that was quite a long AN, but I felt that it had to be done and that you deserved to know what's going on.  
That said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general.  
So leave a review, okay? ^^

**Do like /follow me if you enjoy my stuff:**  
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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to RND4EVA, Allen Crowley and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 5 - "****The Unacceptable Price"**

* * *

I didn't get out of the house that day. After Yuki and her friend had left, I kicked off my blanket and went to the kitchen. Here I put on some new coffee and scrambled a few eggs, and consumed it all without even noticing the taste. I wanted blood. Not _this_. This food wasn't really food. I knew this, however, I didn't want it to be the truth, I didn't want _that_ to be me. Besides, I told myself, I had to do my best to keep it away from the others. Consuming normal food was a part of that, and so that made it a task necessary for my survival.

Still, I couldn't ignore my savage nature, so, as I put the plate and cup away - in plain sight for the others to see when they got back home, I popped two pills. The pills was in no way a good replacement for the real thing - or so I was told. I had never tasted blood, and if it was up to me, I never would. In a way it might be a blessing. If it really was true, and that the pills were a cheap replacement, then I would be lucky to not know it. In that way it would be no replacement, it would be the real thing for me. Also, in that way, I would probably not be that desperate after human blood. Or, so I had told myself. Those words were what had kept my faith in myself. The hope that I might wouldn't end up like the thing that had killed my parents. The hope that I could… be normal...

I fell back onto my bed and laid my arm across my face to shield my eyes from the sun that was now right outside my window.

I was pathetic, I knew that. There was no way my life could be a normal one. Even if I could manage to keep away from humans, my life would be short, and it would be filled with compromises. How could I ever believe that it would be fine? How could I ever hope to make a life of my own? To have a group of close friends? To get a wife? Have kids? None of these were possible. Hell, I would be lucky if I could get a job. And if I did, it would be one that didn't involve contact with other people. The chairman would probably let me stay. To him the knowledge of my curse would mean that I was a danger to the common people, and he would probably give me a job in the Vampire department of the school, that was, if I took the cure...

Yeah, there was a cure, I knew that. If I took it, I could escape the blood lust, or at least be able to control it. However, the price for that was high. There was not a question of finding the cure, oh no, it was close by. My problem was what it would turn me into, and also, what I would have to do to get it. I knew that many would have killed time after time only to get the slightest possibility of receiving the gift of nobility. They would search after a pureblood as soon as they knew it could help them - even though they knew that the chances were slim that their wish would be granted. For me it was different. I knew of the cure. I had known it even before I was bitten. Not only that, but I was as good as guaranteed the cure if I only asked for it.

If I asked... That was the problem. There was no way that I would ever ask Kaname Kuran, the proud pureblood, for his blood. He would probably give it to me, and if he didn't I could be sure that both the Headmaster and Yuki would try to convince him. But that was not what I wanted. To be saved by a pureblood, to be in his debt, that was something I would never accept. That price would be too high, even if meant the possibility to stay with Yuki.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
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	6. Part 6 - The Nice Guy

**A/N:  
**Not much to say this time around. I'm working on my chapters, and I'll try - and hard too, to get up a chapter plan as fast as I can so that I in the next chapter might give you an indication of the total number of chapters.

That said, I wish to thank all those that have sent reviews. I really love hearing from you guys, and I really do appreciate them.

That said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general.  
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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to Allen Crowley, Soaring Okami and Jakk Dion for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 6 - "****The Nice Guy****"**

* * *

"Hey! Lazy-head!"

Something heavy hit me in the chest and even before my eyes opened, my body moved on its own and flipped the attacker around and pinned them down to the bed.

"Eeek!"

It was then I realized that the attacker was Yuki. Why didn't that surprise me...

"Ahh, sorry." I rolled off her and sat up. The sun wasn't as bright as it had been up till now, and I came to the conclusion that I had probably fallen asleep while thinking.

"Geez, Zero." Yuki sat herself up but didn't move away from the bed. "You really need to learn some bedside manners. I can't believe you just tackled me like that - again." Her emphasis on the last word was thick, but I chose to ignore it.

"Well, I feel that I'm in the right here. I mean, how was I supposed to know it was you and not some pervert? Oh wait, that's right, you're a-"

"I am NOT a pervert!"

"Well, say that as much as you want, but the facts speak for themselves." I sighed, shaking my head as I looked at her. "And I thought you were better than that. Well, guess I wrong about that too."

"Wait a minute, I-" She cut herself off and I could see her eyes narrowing in on me. "What do you mean; 'that too'?"

"Oh, I don't know," I looked away, trying my best not to lose face. This was going exactly as planned. "It's not a big thing. Not really a point to talk about it."

"Don't you dare!" She had bought it. "Spit it out. What else were you wrong about?"

"No, it's nothing."

"Come on!"

She pushed me. Not hard, but it caught me by surprise. I blinked, was it really that important to her to know it? She pushed me again, but this time I was prepared and caught her wrists as she was about to pull back.

"Stop it, you idiot, let go." She tried to pull away, but realized it wasn't possible, and tried hitting me instead. "Let. Me. Go."

I didn't let go. Why would I? Her attempts were all harmless. Besides, this was too much fun; it was as if we had returned to our time as kids, when I was happily unaware of the monster sleeping within me. Had it been any other day I might have let her go. It wasn't like we were kids anymore after all. But, seeing as I was here on her account; I decided that I might as well play a little.

"Ah, Yuki" I whispered, adding in an underlying bass tone to my voice. The change made her stop wiggling for a second and she looked up at me. "When will you learn?"

"What? Learn what?" Her voice harsh and filled with defiance as if she tried to keep me at a distance by the use of it. It seemed as though whatever protesting energy her body had lost, her voice had found.

"You know," I lowered my voice even more and leaned down so that my cheek brushed against hers. "That you're lucky that I'm such a nice guy."

"Nice?" A chuckle left her lips and I could feel her body loosen up and relax. "When did you become 'nice'?" Though it looked as a harmless, innocent question I could catch glimpses of the sarcasm and playful mockery buried underneath.

"Well," A wry smile appeared on my lips. "Think about it. If there had been another boy, what would he..."

"Another boy?" Yuki raised her eyebrow. "What are- Eek!"

The laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. I had planned to take the act a bit further, but I guess I should have waited with blowing her in the ear.

"Zero!"

Once again her body started moving, trying to push me off- trying to break free of either one of my arms, first attacking the one at the left side and then the one at the right. However, her attempts were so hopeless and ridiculous that it just added comedy to the whole situation, so much so that it cracked me up! All that laughing relaxed the muscles in my arms and, seeing as if I would most likely end up smothering Yuki if I fell right on top of her, I chose to fall over to the side. I landed on my shoulder like a pillow, and ended up beside her on the bed; both of us looking at the ceiling.

"Zero! Watch it, that's my arm. Get. Off." She pulled her arm and, by a combined effort of showing me and wiggling, she managed to free her arm. "Idiot." she snorted, and then rolled over to one side, leaving me glaring at the back of her head.

I couldn't help but smile. Sure, she seemed a little miffled now, but I knew that she wasn't really sulking. It had always been like this. Even though Yuki was the kind of person to always care the most and to be there by one's side as soon as she could, she was also fairly known for her little acts. It had been annoying in the beginning; never knowing when she was actually feeling bad, but as I spent time with her, I found her easier and easier to read.

"Y-Yuki… I" It was hard to hold back the laughter, but somehow I think I managed to make my voice seem vulnerable. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean… It wasn't…" I kept my eyes on her back, and as I spoke, she rolled back to face me.

"Oh, Zero, I-" Then she noticed my face, and, obviously annoyed, a wrinkle formed in her forehead. "You, you-"

I instantly knew what she was about to do, and I hurried to throw my arms around her before she could escape, and pulled her to my naked chest.

"Let go, you-"

"Awe, come on, Yuki. Don't be like that." I tightened my grip around her, careful not to squeeze too hard, and let my head rest upon the top of her head. The motion silenced her and, even though I could detect the tension in her, she didn't make an attempt to move away. My muscles relaxed with the realization, and I let myself doze off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
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	7. Part 7 - The Flustered Octopus

**A/N:  
**I'm so sorry! I've been preoccupied and when I did have time, I didn't feel like writing.  
However, I can say that I'm as good as done with chapter 8, and I have also been able to sit down and write the summaries for the remaining chapters and now know exactly where I'm going. So, when CampNaNoWriMo starts in July, I'll get quit many of my words from this story.

That said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general.  
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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to The Walrus and the Carpenter and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 7 - "****The Flustered Octopus****"**

* * *

"Zero..? You're awake, right?"

The vibrations of the sweet, careful calling tingled and a pleased grunt escaped my lips. The girl was still lying in my arms. That surprised me. Yuki could hardly ever sit still for more than fifteen minutes, and for her to still be here… Half an hour should have passed already.

"Are… Are you alright? I mean, there isn't anything wrong is there?"

'_Wrong?_' I asked myself. '_Was there anything wrong_?' No, not really, I decided and shook my head.

"Ah, okay… But if there ever is… I'll always be here" Her reply was a weak mutter, and then suddenly, I felt her nudge her face against my chest as if she was hiding herself.

So sweet, I thought, and without realizing what I was doing, I placed my lips on her forehead; giving it a soft kiss. I tried to pull away, but my own body didn't listen to me, letting my lips rest on her bare skin.

She smelled so good. For an instance I feared it was the demon in me talking; thirsting and heightening my senses. But no, I realized. It wasn't the scent of blood I felt drawn to, it... it was Yuki...

A flood of relief washed over me; there was nothing wrong with me. My blood lust was under control, and everything was as it should be..

_Wait_. I told myself, _Normal?_ I had never felt allured by the scent of her… Could it be that my growing vampirism was responsible? Was it intensifying my sense of smell? Well, whatever it was, it was a fragrance that I didn't mind.

"Ehm… Zero...?"

Yuki's voice cut through my thoughts.

"You'd better not have inked my face."

I blinked. What was she rambling on about?

"Octopus."

The meaning behind her words struck me. I could feel blood rushing to my face, and I immediately pulled away my lips.

"It seems I'm a pretty popular girl. At first I thought it was silly to think so, but everybody seems to be sucking on me lately. To think that I now have an octopus in addition to the vampires that-"

"Vampires?" My eyes widened. Had Yuki been bitten? Here? On school ground? "When? Who?" I pushed myself up on my knees, ready to go out and hunt down the student reckless enough to sink his teeth into my sweet-

"No!"

"I have to." I ignored her cry and leapt over her body, careful not to step on her in the process. Once one foot was safely on the floor, I changed my weight to let the other follow.

"No, you don't—just stop." Her voice was more determined this time and I noted that she had grasped onto my boxer shorts, holding it with a strong grip while wearing a hesitant expression on her face.

For a second I felt tempted to ignore the helpless attempt and just continue; letting my underwear decide if it wanted to stay on or not. But no… I just couldn't do that. That would just be … I could feel a prickling on my neck, and realized I was about to blush. I let out a frustrated sound and let myself fall back down to sit on the bed.

"Zero..." Yuki had sat up and was now kneeling beside me on the mattress. I could see the worry in her eyes, but I could also see something else… Was it … surprise?

The thought amused me. Had the lack of my indecency surprised her? Well, I guess the many shirtless mornings in the bathroom with her, and today's lack of pants, could indicate a certain tendency to expose myself, but to go that far…

"Nothing happened." She let go of my clothing and wrapped her hands around my arm instead. "None of them have bitten me. I didn't mean for it to sound like-"

I didn't care anymore. Yuki was safe and untouched; that was all I wanted to hear. Still, she had made my heart go berserk for a moment, and I knew I didn't dare to think of what might had happened if I had made it out of bed.

"Yuki..." I turned my face and let my lavender colored eyes pierce her chestnut ones. "Never say anything like that to me again."

"I-"

"Never." I repeated, grabbing her arms, shaking her. "You hear me?"

She gave a slight nod and I felt my body relax again and, before I could stop it, my head fell forward and down on Yuki's shoulder. For a moment I thought she would push me away, but she didn't. Instead, she wrapped her arms around me and started stroking my hair gently.

"You worry too much about me, Zero."

"How can I not? Seeing how those monsters out there look at you, I-" I stopped myself before I could say something stupid. Although the many looks she got from the night class bothered me, it wasn't the thing I feared the most. No, what I feared was that it, one day, would be me that would stand in their place; watching Yuki, listening in on all the thumps her heart made as it pumped her delicious, red blood.

"I'm fine, Zero. I do know how to take care of myself; I'm not defenseless."

I couldn't help but snort. Although it was true that Yuki knew the vampire world and had been through training to protect others, as well as herself, she still wasn't anywhere near the level of a vampire hunter. In truth, her abilities would only buy her a chance if she was dealing with a newborn that was unaware of her Artemis rod.

"Ey, stop that." The gentle stroking had stopped. "I'm not that bad at it."

"Well..." A smirk appeared on my lips, as I once again let the mesmerizing scent fill me with peace.

"Jerk." The curt word came, and at the same time I felt her hands move; letting go of my hair and withdrawing towards her body.

Faster than I'd planned, my hands flew up and caught her left hand by the wrist as it passed by my cheek. I didn't squeeze hard, just enough to keep it up, and as my hand covered hers, I let my fingers slide between hers, intertwining them.

"Ze...ro…" Her eyes widened and I could see the surprise in them. However, to my relief, she did not show any sign of wanting to escape my touch.

"Yuki, I-" I lost my words. What was I even going to say? I didn't even know myself. All I knew was that I wanted to be right here. I knew it couldn't have been that long, but for just a small amount of time I wanted to be by her side.

Without a sound, I closed my eyes and let her enticing smell fill me. It was truly the scent of happiness and freedom—both of them were things that I couldn't have. Her touch… I moved my head, letting my skin touch against hers.

"Wha-" Yuki cut herself off, her attention drawn to my other hand. I had reached out and was now cupping her chin with my fingers, slowly letting the tips play with her soft skin.

She was so perfect… I knew the words sounded silly and like a badly written cliche, but there was no other word that could take its place. Yuki was perfect, so sweet, so gentle to me, she was my-

Shivering, I leaned my body forward, closing in on her. I moved slowly, letting her prepare and understand my intention. I was scared to look up at her, frightened to see rejection in her eyes, but I forced myself to lift my gaze. Our eyes met, and for a second I thought I saw fear in her eyes, but then a calm glow replaced it. I took it as a sign for me to continue.

I bent even closer; my hand let go of hers, moving between us as a pillar to support my weight. My heart was beating like mad and I noticed I was breathing heavily.

Closer.

I carefully tilted my head to the side. Closer... Yuki's eyes were still on mine, the breeze of her breath teasing me as it came dancing out between her parted lips.

_'She… She won't reject me...'_

The realization made my heart stop. _She wasn't going to push me away. She was going to-_. The blood rushed through me, and I had to stop myself from not pushing her down and kissing her passionately. I couldn't do that. Or, could I?

Without having made a decision, I found myself laying her gently down by pushing her shoulder. I halfway expected her to push against me, call me a jerk and walk off, but instead, she just looked at me with those big eyes as I placed myself on top of her.

The anxiety came flooding through me. Was this really all right? If I bent down, if I kissed her…? Was this what she wanted? She did; didn't she? She couldn't have misunderstood my—no, _our_—actions, could she?

_No_, I decided. Even though Yuki was one of the densest persons I knew, even she would know. I was sure of it.

Closing my eyes, I took a quick breath and-

"Hello? Anybody home?"

My heart stopped. For a few seconds, I swear my heart was not beating. Then, without warning, it rushed forward, pumping blood like mad and making my body feel as if it was on fire.

_What was I doing? How-? Why-?_ I looked at Yuki, but when our eyes met, she was quick to look away, her own face turning a shade of red that was similar to mine.

"Yuki? Zero? Are any of you here?"

_What should I do? Should I answer him?_ I opened my mouth, but then realized with horror the possible course of events that might follow. _How would he react if he came in? What would he say?_

True, he wasn't my father, but I still didn't want to disrespect him to that degree, and anyhow, Yuki was actually acting as his daughter. But if he saw this; me towering over her like a beast… I didn't even want to think about what he might do.

_No,_ I told myself. _It's something that should be avoided. The best thing to do is to pretend we're not home. Yeah, then he would probably-_

"Yes. I am. And Zero too. " Before I could stop her, Yuki spoke up, and before I could collect myself, slid out from underneath me. She didn't even look at me, but hurried to straighten her uniform and hair, before opening the door slightly. "I just woke him up. That idiot skipped school and spent the whole day sleeping." She closed the door, and for a second I thought I saw a quick wink… But it was probably my imagination...

"Oh, Zero..." I could hear the headmaster sigh from outside of the room. "I thought he understood after the last time I talked to him. Oh well, I guess I'll have to talk to him..."

"Don't!" Yuki's voice sounded sharp, and I found myself sitting up, eavesdropping. "I mean... Ehm. He's really grumpy, and he promised me he would change, so… I wouldn't go in there if I were you."

"Hmm… Well, he _does_ have the worst case of morning-grumpiness that I know of… Fine, I think you're right, honey. I'll talk with him after dinner. He probably should lighten up by then, don't you think so?"

"Yes, I'm sure that would be a better idea." The enthusiasm in her voice was clearly exaggerated, but I knew the headmaster wouldn't notice. The man was as blind as could be when he wasn't fully focused—which luckily for me, wasn't often.

I lay still until I could hear the footsteps and their accompanying voices disappear. For a second I considered falling back to sleep, but I decided against it. I had already spent too long in bed today—even for my liking—and besides, the headmaster was likely to burst in, expecting me to be up.

_Damn it, Yuki_. Why had she told him that? And more, why had she ratted me out like-? Wait a second, that sounded totally like her.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	8. Part 8 - The Parental Talk

**A/N:  
**It's been a while, sorry again, but I've been hording up on a few chapters :P  
Here is one of them. It's not been betaed yet, but I felt that you guys had waited long enough.

That said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general.  
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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to Allen Crowley and Soaring Okami for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 8 - "****The Parental Talk****"**

* * *

It was only after both dinner and dessert were consumed that the Headmaster decided it was time for a 'parental talk'. I had just taken up the towel to dry off the dishes when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to face him, halfway hoping it was Yuki, and he gave me a nod, signaling it was time to talk. With a sigh I put down the towel and walked over to sit at the kitchen table.

"So, I've been meaning to talk to you." The Headmaster looked down on his hands, his thumbs twinning restlessly. Twice he looked up at me, but each time his attention was moved back to the desktop.

"...what?" I finally asked. The Headmaster was not known as a silent man, and the lack of words was starting to make me worry. "What is it?"

"Zero..." His eyes finally met mine. "It's getting worse… isn't it?"

I froze. _Could it be that he had noticed? Was it that visible?_ I thought I'd been able to cover it up; I'd been taken more and more pills too.

"I don't know what-" The words to a lie were forming in my head, but as I spoke them, a dark shadow fell over Kaien Cross's face; he knew what I was doing. It shouldn't have surprised me. Even though the Headmaster usually was seen fumbling around at campus and making a fuss about the smallest things, he was still a Vampire Hunter and able to see through deceit.

"I don't know what's happening to me..." The words were true. I knew that the Vampire inside of me was fighting, growing stronger every day, trying to gain control… I knew that, and I knew what it would end in, but what I'd been told didn't way up for the experience. "It's there. I can feel it. It's thirst. Not all the time, only..." I paused, unsure of what to say. "...in certain situations".

"In what kind of situations?" He didn't take his eyes off me, his gaze focused on my each and every move, trying to read into my reaction.

"Blood." I told him. "I can smell the blood now. And it's not only when it's close by. It's gotten stronger, and sometimes I can even hear it. If I'm close to someone. The scent, the pulsating, the heart beat..." I gulped "I can sense it."

"I see..." For a second I thought he would fall back into silence, but then he continued. "So it's not just the blood itself… That is not good."

"Tell me about it." I mumbled, letting my head fall back.

"Well, at least some part of you is as intact as ever." His smile was sad, but it was a smile. For a second it stayed on his lips, but then worry filled his eyes. "About Yuki..."

My heart skipped a beat. _Did he know that too? How much?_ I didn't dare to look at him. Yuki was his precious daughter; the light of his life. Whether he was referring to my affection to her or in the way her blood was constantly in my mind, it would not be to his liking, and neither were conversations I'd like to have.

"Does she know?"

"What?" Once again I had jumped to conclusion."Ehm, no. She's doesn't."

"Are you sure?" He looked at me intensely, a desperate, yet hopeful, shimmer in his eyes. "Could anything have happened? Anything that might have made her suspicious? Any change in your relationship lately? Different behaviors?"

_Different behavior_, I thought. _There was no question about that_. Hell, if this afternoon didn't say enough, then what would? It had absolutely been abnormal, _but_, I decided, _it wasn't something she would associate with vampires._

"You sure?" The headmaster asked as I shook my head. As I repeated the notion, a heavy burden seemed to leave him. "That's a relief. It's not that I think she wouldn't be able to take it. It's just… She's so used to you being, eh well, you. I think the idea of you being a vampire that hates vampires would be almost as hard on her that it is for you."

"How?"

"You know her. My sweet Yuki is nothing but heart. She knows you and would probably try to put yourself in your shoes, trying to understand how you feel. However, I fear that it would only make it all even harder for the both of you."

I understood what he meant. It was true. Yuki was that kind of person that would try to fix the problem; although knowing it was nothing to be done. She would probably push herself, straining both her body and mind, and with each unsuccessful attempt, it would be an emotional burden. I couldn't let her go through that. It would be too painful, not only for her, but for me too. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Seeing all that she has suffered and tried, all because she wanted to help me; someone that couldn't be helped.

_No_, I realized, _It can't happen. I won't let it come to that._

"Well, I guess that's all for now." The Headmaster pulled back his chair and got up. "I have to head off to the office now - I still have some paper work to do. But, Zero, if anything comes to mind... You know you can talk to me. I'll be happy to listen. So, don't hesitate, okay?"

"...thanks." I didn't know what else to say. I was not the talkative type of person - everybody knew that. However, the Headmaster always seemed to have a hope that I would one day open myself up to him, but I knew that wouldn't happen. It wasn't that I didn't trust or like the man, I did… in a way. No, it was because I knew that I could never open myself to him. I never opened up to anyone.

_Not anyone but Yuki._

It was bitter. The fate was so ironic. The one person that I could talk to, the one person that I could open myself to; she was the one that shouldn't know. It was like the universe was set on laughing down at me; time after time again.

"Oh and Zero?"

I looked up. I had almost forgotten that he was still here.

"Don't forget the rounds later. It's a lot of work and I think Yuki might kill the both of us if you keep skipping work." The man's eyes grew bigger and he looked at me as if begging. "Please tell me you'll do it."

"... fine."

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	9. Part 9 - The Loyal Companion

**A/N:  
**It's been quite a long time, haven't it. Well, your wait is over. Here's a new chapter of ABR, and I also have yet another one done, so that will be up too as soon as I get it betaed.

That said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general.  
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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to Jakk Dion for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 9 - "****The Loyal Companion****"**

* * *

I didn't show up for rounds. I had planned to do so, but when I walked out in the fresh, cold air, I changed my mind and went to the stables instead. I was scared. When I thought of what almost happened earlier, what might have happened if we hadn't been interrupted… It was too dangerous to think of. Back then I had been so sure I saw willingness and acceptance in her eyes, however, when I now replayed it in my head, it might just have been my imagination. Maybe it was a good thing that it didn't happen? Maybe I had misread her? Maybe she had been unknowing about what I would have done if-

_Or maybe she wasn't?_ That thought sent chills through me. If she had caught on to it… It could be both good and bad - but mostly bad. I had known it from the second I saw the two of them together that Kaname was something special to Yuki. I understood that, even though I didn't like what or who he was, I could still understand why she would think highly of him.

_He did save her life_, I told myself, _He treats her well_. This was what I had told myself time after time after that first evening when he had showed up at our home. I had instantly attacked him, not even blinking an eye as I thrust the knife into him. It hadn't done anything, and after making me calm down, the headmaster had come to my room to tell me about Kaname's 'gracious saving of poor, sweet Yuki.'

'_Dammit, dammit, dammit!_' A flash of pain struck through my arm and a groan of pain escaped my lips. I cursed myself, and once again hammered my fist into the cold, rough, stone wall. My hand hurt so much that I could barely feel the pain for the numbness, when I finally stopped. There was however no visible damage to the hand, only some red marking, possibly a print from the wall's pattern, and some scratches.

I couldn't stand it. No, I hated it. Hated the thought that she, even if I stayed away from her, would end up as meat in the hands of a bloodthirsty monster... It was wrong! It was unfair! I was about to repeat the motion, but a whinny to my right caught my attention.

"You want another one?"

The horse didn't reply, but she kept her eyes on mine, waiting in silence.

"Fine… But this is the last one, okay?" I slid my hand down in my pocket and closed my fingers around a few cubes and pulled them out. "Here you go."

The horse looked at the sugar in my palm for a brief moment, and then she lowered her head to give a short sniff before gobbling up the treats.

I stood still for a while and studied the horse, and as I did, a peaceful feeling filled me. Most of the students at campus avoided the horses, but those that did spend time in the stables, always made sure to stay well out of White Lily's reach. The white mare had once started to chew on the hair of a girl as she passed by, and after that, it had become a norm to stay clear of it.

It was such a funny coincidence - I thought. Their behavior was almost the same as it was towards me. Not that I had ever eaten some girl's hair, but I guess I wasn't the best at making friends. And was that what I wanted anyway? To make friends? The headmaster and Yuki had often encouraged me to seek out those in my class, but I had personally never felt the urge to do so. Why would I? Most of them were idiots, and I knew that if I managed to find some tolerable individuals among them, I still wouldn't be able to have an honest friendship with them due to the strict secrecy of my trade - and not to mention my increasing blood lust.

"I guess it's just you and me."

White Lily muzzled my hand in response, and I gently stroke her muzzle.

"Aha! So there you are!"

I didn't bother to turn around; Yuki was too easy to recognize.

"Did you think I wouldn't find you? First you're skipping school and now-"

I didn't get to hear what she thought. Not that I would complain about that. I sent her a look, and she nodded affirming back at me. We had both heard the same thing.

"Can I really do it?" The voice was a pitched one, but I felt quite sure that it would belong to a male.

"Yes, but just this once." A deeper voice replied, and this time it was no question of the gender.

"Really? Really?" The first voice rejoiced, his voice.

"Yes, yes. But don't take long. I would prefer it if we were left unseen."

"Who could-"

My hand shot out and covered her mouth, silencing her.

"Mm! Mmmm mm! Mm!"

"Shh!" I hushed her, meeting her glare and holding it until I felt sure she would stay quiet. Then, as carefully as I could, I poked my head around the slight cover we had from the stable box. I couldn't see anything.

"It's right around this corner. I'll show you. They are so pretty! I think you'll especially like-"

"Hey! What do you think you are doing? Don't you know that it's late and-" Without me noticing it, Yuki had crawled to the stable entrance and, as the two night walkers came close, stepped out to confront them. "A-Aidol?! What are you..?"

"Ah, hi, Yuki. I didn't think I'd meet you here."

"Well, that goes for me too. What are you doing here? It's outside your premises, you're not allowed to be-"

"It's okay, Yuki" The deeper voice said, and it was first then that I recognized it. "He's with me. I'll take full responsibility for his actions."

"Ah, oh. Kaname."

"I'm sorry if we frighted you. It was not on purpose."

"Oh, no, it's nothing. I mean, it's okay. Not really a problem."

I couldn't help but feeling sick. The way she acted, her stupid rambling, it was sorry sight. It was because of that vampire. Kaname himself wasn't the one doing this to her. No, it was that damned beast that played with the looks and appeal. That was all it was. Not the dorm president of the night class. Still, the slik face and the annoying smile of his didn't really make him an innocent. It was so clear that he was aware of exactly what he was doing - and that he found it amusing.

'_That bastard_' I got on my feet and stepped around the stable box.

"Oh, Kiryuu. You are here too. Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Well, seeing you here sure surprised me." I gave him a cold glare. "I don't think school regulations allows such as you to be out at this hour."

"I find it amusing how much you care for the rules, hunter. That is, when they are not directed towards you." Then, with the blink of an eye, he was all smiles again. "Yuki. You really must excuse me. Aido was going on and on about one of the horses, and I figured that I would not be able to get any work done until I agreed to take him here."

"Oh, if that is the case." Yuki smiled brightly at the vampires. "I like them as well - though I'm not good at riding." A nervous laughter left her as she scratched the back of her head. "So, which one did you want to see?"

"Chestnut."

"Ah, she's so pretty, isn't she?" Excitement was in her voice, and the same emotion was in the energic nodding from the blonde. "Do you want to feed here? I can get some carrots?"

"Really?"

The two of them walked further into the stable. As they were no longer in sight, Kaname turned to leave, when a fierce whinny made him turn his head. He studied the mare for a moment, then let a smile grow on his face.

"And this must be the fright of the school, am I right?"

I ignored the question. I had no desire to chit-chat with the full blood. Instead I walked over to the horse and patted it lightly.

"Lily, wasn't it. I have heard quite the story about her. From what I was told she is quite the hostile thing and bites anyone."

I could feel his eyes on me, but payed it no attention. Instead, I reached down into my pocked for yet another sugar cube.

"It seems that my information was wrong. That, or she knows that you might be the stronger biter of the two of you."

Clenching my teeth, I tried to close of my ears, focusing entirely on the soft mane of the horse. I knew what Kaname was doing. I knew all too well that this was just another fun way for the full blood to kill time.

"The sugar is not good for it. A horse should rather eat carrots and grass - that is what's normal. If you continue, it might be more than just a habit. That is, if it's not already changed its appetite?"

I wanted to kill him! To just get up my Bloody Rose and shoot that damned Kaname to pieces. But I didn't. I couldn't. If I went after him here I was sure to lose. Heck, he might kill me, and afterwards putting on a sorry face as he told the others of the 'tragic accident'. It wouldn't surprise me a bit. And they would believe him - of course they would.

'The noble vampire only did what he needed to protect himself against the monster.' The voice in my head sang out and I staggered, bumping into the wall. It disappeared as sudden as it had come, but the words were playing over and over in my head. I looked up, but all I could see was Kaname smiling down at me, mocking me with his eyes. I couldn't take it. I found my balance and, as soon as I felt sure my legs would carry me, I headed for the door.

He didn't stop me. I was relieved. If he had, I wasn't sure what I would have done. I continued walking. Just kept putting one foot in front of the other without knowing where I should go. All I knew was that I wanted to get as far away as I could.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
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	10. Part 10 - The Bloody Control

**A/N:  
**We've reached 10 chapters! Isn't this amazing?  
Some if you have asked me about the story and how long it's gonna be, and, well, the last chapter will be the 16th.  
I might consider a 17th, but that is only an idea.

That said, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
Please do tell me what you think of my story and writing in general.  
So leave a review, okay? ^^

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**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to Jakk Dion for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 10 - "****The Bloody Control"**

* * *

I must have lost track of my movements because, when I looked up and around me, I was far away from the stables. Without noticing it, I had ventured into the woods that closed off the school premises to the world. Well, to call it a forest was a bit too much as it was no more than fifty trees. Still, the area was commonly referred to as 'the forest', and I had, on multiple occasions, found couples meeting up here. Luckily there was no sign of any hormonal teenages tonight.

Relieved, I walked over to a crooked tree and leaned onto it. I should have stayed in bed. My hand went up to clutch around my heart. It hammed on like crazy. _Not again!_ My hand shivered as I moved it down to my britches and let it slide into the pocket.

"Fuck!"

Nothing. My hands closed around nothing. I cursed myself. Where were my blood pills?! The thought of them was a painful reminder, and I could feel my heart pounding even harder; my breath rising to gasps. Suddenly I couldn't keep my balance, and I grasped onto the tree branch for support. My head spun around and around, and the sensation made me dizzy. I clung to the tree, my nails digging into its bark. In desperation I let go with one of my hands, and once again search my pockets. Nothing. My fingers moved to the left pocket. Nothing. I felt the sweat dripped from my forehead and down into my eyes. I didn't care. I moved up to the pockets of my jacket. Nothing.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" I couldn't believe it. I had sworn to myself that I would always, ALWAYS be prepared, that there would never be a time where I would not be in control. That I would not lose myself.

A shock of pain slammed into my heart and stopped my breath. Desperate, I clenched my hand to a fist, and started hitting my chest forcefully. The pounds hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it-.

"A-ah!" A sharp pain, a pierce from a sharp object made me cry out. Irritated, I slid my fingers into the inner pocket of my jacket.

My eyes widened, and I hurried to pull up my hand. There, in my hand, a small white object looked up at me. A rush of relief ran through me, and I gulped it down. I knew the pill wasn't going to do much. If I was lucky, it would be enough for me to get back to the room, but then I would have to go at once. '_I'll just catch my breath first_'. It was a dangerous thought. The longer I waited, the less time I had. But if it was just for another minute-

"Hey!"

I jumped, startled by the sudden sound.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

I didn't want to turn around. I didn't want her near me. Not when I was like this.

"Go away, Yuki. Just go away and leave me alone."

"No!" Her voice was hard and cold as stone. "What is it with you? Why are you doing this? Not only did you bail on me - _twice_, but you were so rude! You just left Kaname there, and he-"

"Shut up." I had to clench my teeth together. "Just shut up."

"No! I'm not!" She was angry now. "You just keep doing whatever you want. You come and go without sparing even a thought of others. You're always late to everything, and when you come, you always acts as if you want nothing more than leave again. I'm sick of it! I'm tired of you being - being nothing but a jerk! I'm fed up with it. You don't care. You don't care, do you?" Her voice had become thick, heavy with emotions.

I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, she continued.

"I've had it! All you do is pretend. You're not my brother, I know that. I try and try, and I hoped that you were just bad at showing that you care, but that's not the case, is it? The truth is that you don't. You don't care for for me, you don't respect the headmaster, and you don't trust the vampires - not even Kaname although he has done so much for-"

"For me?" The words came automatically. "You mean he has done so much for me?" I snorted. "Don't be fooled, Yuki. He's nothing but trouble. You shouldn't trust him, he's-"

"He's what? A vampire?" Her words bit me. "I know what you think of them, Zero, and I understand you. Or, understood. You should know by now that Kaname is not like all other vampires - none of the night class students are. They might not be angels or blindly trusted, but they all have earned some trust, and if not trust, then at least some respect."

"Respect?!"

"Yes. The least you can do is show them respect. It doesn't have to be real, but at least pretend to, and show good manners."

I couldn't believe what I heared. Was she really suggesting that I should bend down and kiss the feet of the monsters that had ruined his life?_ They would have to kill me_. I couldn't help but laugh at myself; it wasn't like it was much of me left to kill. All that remained of the one I used to be was hate and revenge. That, and her.

Or so I had hoped. Yuki had always been the anchor to hold me down. She would always smile at me and treat me kindly. To her I was nothing more than a boy; an eight year old human boy without any family or friends. I was lonely, so she came to me and comforted me, she kept me safe - not from the world, but from what was growing inside of me.

But now…

I wasn't sure what she was anymore. She was my classmate and a foster sister, that still remained, but everthing else than that was alway shifting and constant unbalance. Was she my friend or rather, was I hers? Did we both look at each other with the same eyes or was hers merely the result of years with pity and a sense of duty? I didn't know, and that scared me more than anything. The thought of one day she would wake up and decide that I was no longer worth her time and then go far, far away.

At the same time, I wished nothing more for her than to get as far away as possible. Although it would hurt, it would still for the best. She deserved a good and safe life. A life where she could go to sleep in the night and not have to worry about monsters in the night. She could do what she had always wanted; to start her own family. A family that would be there for her and that wouldn't feel the urge to drain her. Though I hated the idea of some man touching her, I knew that it would have to be like that. I could never be there for her, not like that. In that way, everything would be so much stronger. The scent, the touch, the taste.

And there it was again. Just the mere thought of tasting blood sent a shiver through my body, and I could feel my body aching desperately once again. My body stiffened. A suddenly swirl of wind had tingled my nose. Blood.

My eyes widened in fear as I realized just what was happening. I was thirsty. No, not me, but _it_. The monster in me was thirsting for blood. Luckily, I could smell food close by.

_No!_ I fought against the impulse to throw myself at Yuki. _Leave her alone!_ If she was hurt because of me… I clutched my hands into fists; I had to gain control of myself before-

"Zero?"

_Calm down. Breathe._ It didn't seem to do much, but I kept going, clenching my teeth as well. Slowly. Focus. I could taste blood in my mouth. At least it was my own. The taste disgusted me, but I knew that it would buy me some time, although very little.

"Ehm, Zero?" Her voice was shivering, and then- "You're bleeding!"

I flinched away as I felt her hand on me. _Not now._ I stepped backwards, afraid of what I might do.

"Are you alright? Zero?"

"Don't!"

"I-" She reached out for me.

"Stay away! Go! Just get away!"

"But you're hurt!" Her voice was filled with worry, but I couldn't let her get closer.

"Leave me alone!"

"Let me help. I'm your frie-"

I couldn't hold it back. As the last bit of control left my body, I only had one thought in my head;

_'Yuki. Not Yuki.'_

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
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	11. Part 11 - The Soft Poison

**A/N:  
**We're not at eleven. this time I don't really have much to say - well, except that I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
That, and please do leave a review, okay?

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**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Thanks a lot to Jakk Dion for betaing on this story.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 11 - "****The Soft Poison****"**

* * *

Soft. The smoothness of her skin was amazing. Brushing my lips against it, I opened them slightly and-

"Z-Zero?!"

I was shot back into focus, the daze completely gone. For a second I was unsure about my whereabouts, but then I remembered. I was in the forest with Yuki.

And I had been hungry.

"Zero!"

Panic began inside me and, as I heard her mumble, I realized my position. I was standing leaned up against a tree with my arm steadying me, and in front of me, squeezed between the tree and myself. All of these were observations that were done on instinct and without needing to look. Not that I would have been able to take it in with my eyes since these were already filled with a view of the deepest seas of brown.

"Ah!"

A sharp pain drew my attention to my lip.

My lip.

My heart stopped for several heart beats. My lips were pressed against something soft. Soft, and sweet and- I could taste blood, but once again it was my own. For a moment I felt confused. What could have happened? Why was I finding Yuki's rosy lips attached to my own?

I didn't know. I didn't want to know. It had happened by itself, and it scared me. What if-

I pushed her against the tree, savoring the sweetness of her lips a moment longer, before jerking myself away from her.

Oh, how I wanted to stay, to go back to our positioning and just. But no. I could not do that. I had promised myself that I wouldn't do that. Not to either of us. It would just cause pain. Misery. It could not- no it would not end well. I knew I should leave, but my feet felt so heavy, still, I made them move, and as I did, my eyes met hers.

My heart turned to pieces.

My eyes opened and I was rewarded with an intense hammering. It was all I could do to sit still without moving a bit - even moving my eyes sent punches of pain. What time was it? How long have I been here? My hand quickly grasp a hold of my shirt clenching close to my heart and my pulse quickened drastically. How long had it been since I took that one, last tablet?

I held my breath and tried to sense something, but I couldn't feel any hunger or madness. Just pain. Luckily, it was getting better, and as I waited a bit longer, I could finally move my eyes without too much discomfort. I opened them, and after adjusting to the light, I looked around and saw-

"Shit!"

My stomach twisted and I felt sick. What I had done? How far had it driven me? I crawled onto my knees and started to crawl around in the grass, carefully so not to upset neither my stomach or head. They were all around me. It had to be at least twenty, maybe thirty blood boxes - and neither one of them had a single tablet left in it.

That explained the headache at least. Though the tablets were designed as an alternative to blood, it still was different it a couple of ways. Many of the vampires had complained that the taste was not realistic enough, and it was also a downer when it came to '_the thrill of the kill_'. Still, I suspected that these were just stupid excuses for vampires wanting to keep sucking people dry. No, the only proven difference between the two of them was what happened when consuming a large dosage of it. While blood, real blood, would give you a trip of ecstasy and power, the tablets affected you as alcohol did humans, although with one big difference: the fun. All it did was make the user's sight blurry and brain slower. It made you lose control and it came with a guaranteed hangover that, with the heightened senses of a vampire, was almost unbearable.

My arms were full when I had finally gathered up all the boxes I could see. I might still have missed some, but right now I didn't care. These, however, I looked down at the ones I had picked up, should be thrown away before anyone could find them. If they did, it might cause some questions - and I wasn't in the mood to answer.

I moved over to the old storage building behind the stables. Most only knew this as a locked-off place where outdated gardening equipment that was stored. It was a good excuse. No one ever wanted to look in here, just to get a glance at some moldy old spades and pitchforks. There was nothing to do with those objects, and if there suddenly was someone interested, there was a brand new set in the entrance to the stables.

Carefully, I got out a set of keys from my pocket. The lock was old and rusty on the outside, but that was just a good camouflage, and the door opened up without any resistance or sound. I looked over my shoulder to each side before entering, shutting the door close behind me. For a second I stood there in complete darkness, but I knew the place well - too well some might say, and I quickly found the light switch and turned them on.

The place was dusty, but besides from that, it was nothing like what you'd expect. The walls were painted dark and the stone floor was well maintained. I looked down the rows of shelves and headed towards the one marked with 'RECYCLE'. On it was a big load of boxes, and as I got over to it, I dropped all that I carried into it. The box was almost full now, and I realized just how many tablets were consumed each month. Well, I wasn't really one to judge. What I had just consumed was enough to last one of the vampire students for almost a whole week.

The shame hit me as I realized what I've done. Here I was complaining, pointing fingers and constantly talking of how they were monsters that never stopped consuming. Yet I was worse. Far worse actually. I hadn't thought of it in that way before. I was always looking down on them and how they still, occasionally, fed on humans when away from Cross Academy; giving into the their old habits. With me… I was always feeling so good about myself - that I never had and never would touch a single drop of blood. While, I just could not control myself when it came to my tablets, as if it were my own specialized drug. Part of me wanted to justify it. To say that I wasn't attacking a human and killing them. I still thought that my way was better, but when only looking at the addiction and control of it - I was far worse off.

And it will just get worse.

I knew that was the truth of it. Truth was, I knew much better than most others because of my upbringing. I knew that there was no way for a level E to go back and to free oneself from what happened. Things could be done to delay it, that was true, but eventually the human would be devoured by the monster.

And then no one would be safe.

She wouldn't be safe.

The thought of her sent a pole through my heart. It was too much, and without processing it, I strode over to another shelf and ripped open the closest box.

I locked the door behind me, but I did not return the key to it's pocket. It was full. They all were. Looking around me to ensure I was alone in the night, I hurried off into the night.

It was all dark in the windows of the boys' dormitory. Quiet not to wake anyone, I locked myself in and continued on the tip of my toes to my room. As I opened the door, I was half expecting it to creek loud - as it usually made the loudest of noises, but for once it stayed quiet. At least I didn't wake my roommate. He was okay, and I didn't have anything against him, but he wasn't fond of being woken up in the late night hours. So, as to common interest, I made my way over to my bed.

It felt so good. Normally I would complain over the quality - it was way less comfortable than the one I had at the head master's house, but not this time. I had slept outside, and that had taken its toll on my body. It clung to my body, and I let it do so and stayed down on my bed, not even bothering to get out of my uniform. I stretched my legs out, releasing my tense muscles, and then curled up into a ball.

I just wanted to sleep.

It felt like no more than a few minutes had passed, when I became aware of movement. I opened my eyes.

"Ah, morning, Zero."

It was my roommate. I didn't answer him.

"Ehm, not enough sleep, heh? When did you come in last night?" He scratched the back of his head. "Speaking of… I haven't seen you since two days ago - neither here nor at school."

I heard the question he didn't ask. But I was not going to answer. I had been lucky with my roommate. He was easy to get along with and didn't have a problem with me coming and going at all strange hours of day. I was lucky, but the same couldn't be said of him. Although he had tried many times to befriend me, I still chose to keep him out. I was friendly enough, and I did my best to be good roommate, but that was all. Of course, I would have liked to befriend him, but I knew it was for the best that I didn't. If I did, it would only bring more trouble and complication into my life - and I felt I already had enough of that. So, I tried to do my deeds as a good roommate should.

"Okay.. ehm… so I have to get to class now." He looked over at me, inviting me to come with him. However, looking at my face and the displeased expression I was sure to have, he nodded in understanding. "I hope you'll be able to rest up. Oh, and there are some crackers in top drawer; feel free to eat them if you're hungry."

_Such a nice guy..._

I grunted a thanks and he left the room, sending me a smile sprinkled with worry.

I already knew I wouldn't touch those crackers. I used to like them, love them actually, but even that taste had lacked its appeal… My attention was brought to my fingers, and I became aware that they were playing around with something in my pocket. Wondering, I pulled it out and held it up in front of my eyes.

_The tablets._

The sight of the box brought up memories of the night's events. It was as if I was punched once more, the look she'd given me tearing into my chest. It hurt. I didn't want to think about it. Didn't want the scene to repeat over and over in my head.

But it did.

Over and over I went through it. The fear of hurting her. The surprise, the happiness from her sweet lips, the painful realization, and the-

_\- and the look she gave me._

Rolling over, I cursed myself. What had I done? Not only had I maxed out on tablets, not only had I been sloppy with my own feeding, but I had also done what probably was the worst decision in my life.

_She hates me._

I was sure of that. Nothing else could come from it. I had been so stupid even to hope; to think that she would have even a remote interest in me. Why would she? She never had, so why would now make any difference? It had always been that way. Kaname had been the one she liked. _He_ had been the one she wanted. She longed only for _his_ touch - and not for mine.

Still, there had been times where I had fooled myself into thinking differently. She had the sweetest smile, and when she smiled at me I couldn't help but think it was special; that it meant something more than just a simple smile. That was a lie I told myself. She would never smile like _that_ for me.

Her playfulness, or games and quarrels - it had been just that: quarrels. I had alway like it when she'd pouted her lips at me, her narrow eyes challenging me to another round. The daringness of our trust and understanding, the way she felt all stripped down and honest as if it was the most natural thing on earth.

'That is just how she is...and I just didn't notice.'

I felt so stupid and pathetic. How had I managed to fool myself like that? How had I been able to see what was not there. She was not mine. My 'sister' in a sense, but that was that. It had all been just that to her. All we did; a part of being siblings.

I popped open the box and shook it so that three tablets fell from it and into my mouth. I swallowed, a bitter feeling welling up in me.

It had been the tablets. The reason I was suffering was because of them. If it hadn't been for their existence, I would have been put away - chained up in a dungeon at the hunter association. My life would have turned into madness and hallucinations, but at least it would have been a short one.

But that wasn't the case. I had met Kaien Cross with his ambitions and his 'medication'. I was promised that it would help me and that it would both longer my life and make it better.

I had lived longer than expected - that much was true. In truth it had already given me a couple of years, and even if the madness took hold of me, I would still live another year or two at least - so long as no one put an end to me. I wanted that. Kaien didn't like it, but I think he still respect my wish enough to fulfill it when it happens. I do not wish to be no more than that thing, so if my human self disappears, I want the rest of me to follow.

Yuki.

I would have to tell her somethime. But how could I? I knew better than anyone that she had an affection to them and that she wouldn't judge me a bit if I told her, but I still couldn't do it. It just… it wouldn't be right to do it. She might not care what I was, but I cared. I didn't want her to think of me as a vampire or as a victim that needed comfort and support. No, I wanted her to see me as the man I was - and if she couldn't see me as a man, then at least as human.

I clenched my teeth together, once again recalling the softness of her lips.

_Maybe it was for the best?_

I blinked, confused by my inner voice.

_Maybe it's better if she stays away from you?_

Although still unsure of the voice, I couldn't ignore it's words. It was right. The truth of my new nature would do nothing but hurt both Yuki and myself. Not only when I had to reveal the secret of it, but also what would eventually happen. I didn't want her to go through that, and I especially didn't want to see what it would do to her.

"Yes," I whispered out in the empty room. "It would be better if I just left. I could go away and never return."

It wouldn't be as difficult as earlier either, I realized. If I had done this last week or yesterday - even at nightfall - she would have followed me - even if only to reprimand me.

_But not now…_

I was sure of that, and after what I had done, I didn't blame her. The bond between us was severed, and for once it was for the best. It was done, over. She wouldn't want to see me, and I would make it easier for her. When I left she would be free and, although she might not know it, on her way to a happier and safer life than any I could have been a part of.

_'Yes, It would all be for the better...'_

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	12. Part 12 - The Unavoidable Consequences

**A/N:  
**So, after what happened last time... Well, that was a bit heavy - for me at least. Not only the content, but the length was also more than I usually do. Still, What did you think of it? and what do you think of this one? Do tell me when you've read it, okay?

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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Not yet betaed.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 12 - "****T****he Unavoidable Consequences"**

* * *

"Wake up!"

A blinding mass of light hit me in my eyes, and for a second I thought I'd become blind. Carefully, I opened my left eye slightly - squinting in confusion; trying to gather information.

"Rise and shine."

I could see a silhouette standing by the window. That was were the dreaded light came from too. I closed my eyes once again to spare them from the pain.

"Come on…." I mumbled into my pillow, not wishing for anything but to go back to the dark and quiet place I had just been. It had been nice. For the first time in a really long time had I been calm and safe. But, as every nice thing in my life, the dream had had to end as soon as it started. "Just let me be..."

"No! I will not let you lie there like some potato while I have to do all the work!"

_Work_? Why was he talking about work? My roommate didn't have any work - not that I knew of at least, and it certainly didn't have anything to do with me.

"Zero. Get up, okay? I'm not gonna ask you nicely next time."

I blinked, this certainly didn't sound like him. He would never-

Yuki!

The schiluet that I thought belonged to my roommate. It wasn't him. It was Yuki. I blinked; bewildered for a second. How was I supposed to act? I never would have thought she would want to see me again - and especially not enter my room on her own accours like this.

'_This?_' I asked myself. What did I really mean by that? Her coming into my room, although in the boys' dorm, wasn't anything that should have surprises me. She was never far away - and that was especially true when I tried to get away from the world. It was a curse in a way; never being on my own for long, but I knew that this probably was what had kept me going all these years and the reason why I was able to keep my sanity.

Still, after yesterday.

'Why?' My head was spinning. It was once again longing for the nutrition my monster craved. 'Why would she come here after what I did to her yesterday?' My eyes widened. 'Could it be that yesterday… Could it be that it had been nothing but my imagination? Had the bloodlust taken toll of my mind and made me fantasize?' It wasn't impossible. I knew that it was a common thing with other drugs out there, so why would it be different when it came to the blood pills? It was, when it came down to it, just another kind of drug. If that was true… Inside me, a small flower of hope blossomed. 'Could it be that nothing happened? That it was all as it had been yesterday morning?'

"What?" I let out a grunt, hoping that it sounded like it would have in any normal situation. "What do you want?"

"What do I-?" She began. "I want you to get up and out of bed! It's already passed lunch, and we were supposed to meet for our rounds an HOUR ago!"

What was going on? She was so… normal.

The whole situation confused me. Yuki was the person in the world that made the biggest deals out of the smallest things. Yet, here she stood complaining about me missing out on rounds - something that was far from unusual. It really was almost as if yesterday never had happened.

Wait. Could that be it? Could all that happened just be something that, could it?

"Come on!" Yuki grabbed ahold of my arm and tried to drag me out of the bed. I was about to fight back, but then let my body be pulled up. "Really, Zero. Could you get lazier?"

The glance I sent her must have been quite a sight, because the girl let out a little laugh. It was contagious, and soon I was laughing as well. It was bizarre. Yesterday, I had felt as the whole world was coming to an end, and now I was sitting on my bed and laughing as if everything was normal. Relieved and encouraged by the relaxed situation, I flipped my hand around and pulled her down to sit on the bed beside me. It was something that I had done a number of times before - and nothing even close to the bedplay we had been doing the past week. Still, as soon as my fingers grasped hold of her, it was as she froze and tensed up.

"Yuki?"

"Don't. Just don't." She got back up on her feet and stepped back from the bed and out of my range.

I understood then. It had not been a dream or my imagination. Yesterday had really happened and we were both aware of it. It was difficult to know what I should feel. The fact that it had happened made my heart leap in a nervous jump of excitement, but at the same time I knew that there was no possibilities to just overlook it and ignore what had happened.

I had kissed her.

She didn't look at me directly. Her eyes was wandering the room, looking at nothing in peticular. For a second, we were both still. What was it to be said? The fact that I had grabbed her arm had been a reminger, and because of the foolish action, it was no longer possible just to pretend like nothing.

"Give me five minutes."

Yuki met my eyes with a confused look on her face.

"I'll meet you outside in five minutes."

For a second it looked like she was still unsure of what I was talking about, but then she seemed to get it.

"Ah. Well." She looked like she was about to turn, but then, at the last moment, she changed her mind. "Or. No. It will be fine. You should rest."

I blinked. What was she saying? I opened my mouth to ask, but before I could do so, she continued.

"You seem tired, and you haven't been well lately either." She didn't look at me anymore, but had moved her eyes to the window and was glancing out of it with an empty look in her eyes. "I mean, it's not like we really need to be two to do the job. We have both done it by ourselves in the past. There is no reason why you would have to do it with me. It's better if you get some sleep and get well."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was she really telling me that she didn't want me to do the rounds with her? Not that it should surprise me after all that had happened. But, it still hurt to hear her actually say it.

"I'm feeling better." I couldn't let this happen, not without a fight. "I just need to-"

"No, it's okay. Really. It's what's best for you."

"And this is what's best for you?" I snapped. "Walking alone outside?! Alone?! Surrounded by those creatures?! You really feel that is-"

"Don't you start with that!" Her eyes was almost glowing - it was almost a vampyric glow, but I knew that wasn't the case. Yuki wasn't a vampire.

I blinked. I had never seen that kind of rage in her eyes. "With what?"

"About anything! You don't think you know anything about me or what I can - and you especially don't know how I feel!"

She stormed out the room before I could say anything. For a second I considered caching after her, but I decide not to. What right did I have? After all; she did have a point. Still, what she had said… Did I really not know her as well as I thought? And… what had she meant with that last part?

_"...and you especially don't know how I feel!"_

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
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	13. Part 13 - The Red Dream

**A/N:  
**Chapter 13! Are any of you superstitious? Well, with everything happening in this story, I wouldn't blame you :P  
I cannot believe that there will only be three more chapters! This is crazy!  
That said, I'm still more than interested in getting a review. They mean so much to me, and they are actually what keep me going.

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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Not yet betaed.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 13 - "****T****he Red Dream"**

* * *

I stayed inside my room. Time passed as by and soon the afternoon had turned into the early evening. The school hours came to an end, and I knew that most students had probably made their way over to the cafeteria. During the day, I had many times felt the urge to go outside; to get some fresh air and be able to walk. Still, I didn't do it. Not even now… I knew that the possibility for me to bump into Yuki was slim, but slim was still more than nothing. And, I knew that there was no chance of her coming back to my room. As hours passed by, I got more and more restless, up to the point where I was spending more time wrestling with my blanket than lying beneath it. I gave up. There was nothing I could do to make the time pass by faster. Well… There was this one thing...

I guess most kids hear it as they grow up. They tell you that it's all for your own good. That the reason why your parents make you do or forbids you from doing certain things, is not because they don't love you, but because they want to protect you. I had often hear this. As my parents went away for long periods of time - they did it to earn money for me. As they gave me a strict and harsh teacher - it was so I would be strong and prepared for life. And, as they tried to split up me and my brother - it had been to make it less painful for me to have to devour him in the future.

Sure, some of these examples was more acceptable than others. It was never black or white - nothing in life was fully divided and clear to the eye. Still, I understood that many of the things they had done had been - if not the right, then at least not the wrong thing to do. I had lived up to and followed them the best I could. Not all. Some of them were just unnecessary ones and other against was things I knew I wouldn't be able to do no matter how hard I tried. It had helped me survive. Without the training of both physical and mental abilities and endurance, I would not have been alive, but transitioned within weeks and died shortly after. It had helped me hold on to the rope of the guillotine that that monstrous woman had attached me to. I could hold it back, delaying it from coming down on me, but it took much from me, and I knew that it soon wouldn't be anything left to give. When that happened…

I wouldn't let that happen.

I knew that it was nothing to do about my situation; I was doomed. Still, I was not without a choice. Although it had not been given to me with that purpose, my Bloody Rose would be able to save me. The weapon was deadly to vampires and, even though I was not fully a vampire, I knew that the weapon would inflict at least enough damage to me and make me unable to harm anyone. Probably, what would happen, was that I would lie there while slowly bleeding out and dying. It was a miserable and sad thought, but I had seen people die in far worse ways.

My eyes went over to my nightstand. I had put what remained of the tablets in a bag and put it in the secret room underneath my drawr. It was far from a good hiding spot, but, except from Yuki, I didn't care who might find them. Although Yuki did a lot of things, I knew that going through the private belongings of others wasn't something that she was likely to do. It had always puzzled me - as the job as a guardian of the school often consisted of checking the bags and handbags that the girls carried around, but for my own situation it was a good thing.

That was if...

She wouldn't come here. She wouldn't like to see you.

The thought stayed in my mind as if fastened with glue. A voice repeated the words. Over and over, and then over again. After what felt like many hours, I finally gave up, and reached over to the nightstand.

Only a few.

I picked out three of the white pills and swallowed them. Then, as I was about to roll back to a more comfortable position, I changed my mind and snatched up two more. For two seconds I looked down on the them, unsure whether or not it was a good idea, but then the voice began again, and I swallowed these as well.

It didn't take long before I felt the effect. Unlike yesterday, the dosage today was not overwhelming me, but let me flow on a tide of sweet, thoughtless peace. My muscles finally let go of the tense and stress they had been carrying, and my chest opened up and let me take a deep breath for the first time in a very, very long time.

I opened my eyes, but instead of the white room of my dorm room, what surrounded me was a mist. For a moment I felt alarmed; mists tended to be a hiding place for all kinds of evil beings that lurked around. Still, my mind was soon put to rest as I realized that it wasn't what I'd originally thought it to be. It was not a mystical mist, no, it was a cloud. The peace returned to my mind, and I let myself sink into the cloud, closing my eyes as I welcomed a sweet dream.

* * *

Red. Everything was red. I turned my head, but still all I could see was the color of blood. Blood. It was blood. I was surrounded by it. Everywhere. I twisted and turned, I tried to get up. I couldn't. I wanted to scream, but, as I tried to open my mouth, I couldn't. My eyes widened. I tried again, but there was no use. My fingers grasped and scratched my chin and cheeks; desperately trying to open it. It was no use. It was as if my lips were stitched together.

BAM!

Something cold grasped me from nowhere. I looked over my shoulder and regretted it at once. A claw, a thin and bony claw with pieces of rotted flesh.

I wanted to scream, and this time my mouth opened. But, it was not in a scream of terror, but a snarl, a snarl and teeth.

"Z-Zero!"

My eyes shot open. I was wide awake. And worse, and I aware of the pointy teeth in my mouth.

"Y-You…"

Yuki was sitting on the floor beside my bed; her eyes wide open in shock and disbelief.

"You're a...vampire?"

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	14. Part 14 - The Old Memory

**A/N:  
**Fourteen? Did I hear fourteen? Yes, it's the fourteen chapter!  
Okay, so I know I said I would get this one up the 8th, but stayed at school quite a bit longer than I had planned to, and when I got home, I had some work to do as well. So yeah, when I finally was done with work, it was pretty late, and I still needed to wrap up this chapter. That's when I understood that I had two alternatives. One - I could hurry and get it up just before midnight, or two - I could take my time and get it done during the night, and then publish when I felt like the chapter was done. I ended up with the second one. So yeah, sorry about that, but I felt that was the better thing to do.

That said, I'm still more than interested in getting a review. They mean so much to me, and they are actually what keep me going.

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**Disclaimer:  
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Not yet betaed.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 14 - "****T****he Old Memory"**

* * *

An eternity passed - or so it felt. I wanted to open my mouth and say something, but what could I say? That I was a vampire? She knew that. She had seen it with her own eyes - she was looking at my teeth right now. Maybe I should say that I was sorry? I could, but for what? Sorry for being what I was. I was sorry, I was more than sorry - I despised the very existence of something like me, but that wouldn't work with her. Yuki… She… She accepted vampires - and even seemed to like a couple of them. It was truly disgusting. Being a vampire wouldn't be the issue. No, I could see her adapting to that, but the lies...

It hadn't been a lie. I had never lied to her about what I was becoming. Still, I had known about it, but still kept silent about it. It had been necessary - or that was what I had told myself as it began. It was my pain, my shame, and it would drive her away if she ever learned the truth. My assumption was probably wrong, and that was what Headmaster Kaien told me, but I didn't want to listen. I didn't want to take that chance. Back then, I thought I might be able to fight it off and cure myself of that woman's poison. It was a ridiculous thought and I think that even I knew that it wasn't more than a fooling and worthless hope. It took a while before I admitted the truth to myself, and when this happened, I still kept the truth hidden. What if she would leave? What if she would shun me? Hate me? No, it was for the best to just keep on living like the human I was. The truth? Well, I would have to tell her, someday. Some day, but not today.

Well it was too late now. The day I had pushed back for so many years would never happen. It wouldn't happen, but maybe, maybe it would have been better if I had told her?

"Yuki… I-"

"You're a vampire."

It was more a statement than anything else. Still, as I met her eyes, there was an ocean of questions in them. She knew what she saw, but he wanted to hear it from me. What else could I do?

"... yes. Yuki… I-I'm a vampire..."

The words didn't seem to go through to her, and so, without really thinking, I let myself slide from the bed and down on the floor to sit beside her. Then, closing the distance between us, I put my hand on the back of her hand and leaned my forehead against of hers. I didn't know why I did it, it just felt like the right thing to do.

She didn't flinch away from my touch. Nor did she encourage me. But that was fine. I didn't expect her to do that; it was a lot to take in. Something warm touched my cheek, and I opened my eyes and met her eyes once again. The questions were still there, but there was something else too. Was it understanding? Unsure of what to think, I kept still.

Her hand was soft, her touch gently as she let her finger run across my cheek and down to my lips. They rested on them for a short while, and then, to my disbelief, she navigated her index finger up to my teeth.

A rush of feelings run through me. Surprise. Love. Hunger. Hate. Lust. Fear. It was a storm of feelings that I had to control; all of them shifting so quickly that it was almost impossible to make one stand out.

Control, I told myself, I had to stay in control.

And I did.

As she moved her finger; feeling, touching my tooth, the feelings calmed down. It happened gradually, and in the end only one remained: love.

I looked up at her, my eyes clearer than they had been in a long while, and I saw her. Her. Not just the girl I had lived with for many years. No, that was not it. Something was different. It was… difficult to describe, but it was as if a curtain that had been dividing us for years was finally pulled aside, letting the sun come through for the first time in a very, long while. It was a silly comparison, but it was just like that. My heart, a place hidden away in the depths of shadows and dark secrets, had finally been uncovered and stripped bare to meet the warmth and love of the glowing sun.

But only for a second.

Then, I remembered.

I had seen this before.

It had been many, many years since that incident, but even so, the memory of that day was still clear in my memory.

Only a few weeks had passed since I moved in with Headmaster Kaien and his adoptive daughter, Yuki. Although I wasn't close to consider their home as my own, I had grown to accept it as a place to eat and sleep. It wasn't that the house wasn't comfortable enough – it was actually an upgrade for where I had lived with my family, but it Was missing just that: my family. I'm not sure what would have happened in time if it hadn't been for that night. There is the possibility that I could have grown to love the Kaien family, and in time maybe I would have join it and become one of them. I could have accepted them as my family, and their house as my own.

But not after what happened that night.

* * *

I had just washed the dishes – a chore that I had always hated doing in my old house, but now felt a strange comfort while doing. It had been late, and I remember Kaien telling Yuki that it was time for her to go to bed. She hadn't wanted to do so though. Not that it surprised me. Although Yuki was a lovable and pleasant child to be around, she loved staying up at night. Back than I thought that was all that was going on that night; that the girl simply wanted to stay up to stay up, but then someone knocked on the door.

As soon as he came into sight, I knew what he was. The hairs on my arms shivered and stood up. I knew what he was. The air grew heavier and drier. I knew what he was.

"VAMPIRE!"

He had dodged my attack with a mere flick of his hand. It had been pathetic, but I knew would still have continued the attack if it hadn't been for her. Yuki, She had protected him, had put herself in harm's way to save him – to save a monster among the monsters; a pureblood.

That had changed everything. Nothing could ever let me forget the look in her eyes; the willfulness to protect the corps walking around at the cost of thousands upon thousands of human lives.

* * *

I closed my eyes and pulled away from her touch. I was not like him.

Frustration filled me, and with a violent jerk, I pushed her away, making her tumble down on the floor again.

"There! You see these?" I pointed at my teeth. "You know what they are – fangs! Teeth to rip open your throat and suck you dry."

"No, Zero, you wouldn't-"

"Do that?" I finished. "Well, I guess Zero wouldn't, but that's not really who I am anymore, is it?"

"What?"

"Argh! Don't even try to deny it. You've noticed it too – I know you have. God, even the headmaster noticed – and I didn't even see his that much. It's obvious, I'm dying, Yuki, dying bit by bit as the bloodsucking monster in me tear away and devoured piece by piece."

"That's not-"

"It is the truth, Yuki. And if you know what's best for you, you should get away from me before" my voice became shaky, but I swallowed it down – it was now or never. "before I devoured you as well!"

She didn't reply.

I kept my mouth shut, and turned to look away from her.

Yuki would always be Yuki. She would be the trusting girl that stood by one's side no matter who or what you were. She would lend you a helping hand or a supporting word if that was what you needed. Always. There were no exceptions. If she meant to keep the pureblood in her life, then there was nothing I could do with that. She would fight for him to the end, and even though I hated it, I knew she would have a better chance with him. He was a pureblood. He was in control. There would never come a time where he would lash out and attack her by accident.

The opposite of me.

I hated it, but I also knew it was true. Although my love for her was the only thing that kept me going, I knew that I was the stone in her life. I had always dragged her down. There had been times where she could have gone out and had fun with her friends and gain new memories, but she hadn't. She had chosen to stay home with me. I knew she hadn't been forced to do so, but I knew that she would have had a better time if she had gone. It had continued, and as the years passed, my burden on her shoulders had gotten heavier and more dangerous. And soon… If it continued like this, I would be the stone that would pull her under the water and drag her down to a wet grave.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Please leave a review with your thoughts, okay?  
it will help me write better in the future^^

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	15. Part 15 - The Overdue Rest

**A/N:  
**Chapter fifteen - the second to last chapter. It's really been a time, and I know that this chapter is behind the schedule (it was to be out last week, and then the final one this week), but things happened and I just couldn't get myself to do it. That said, this is a very long chapter, and it's also one that was really exhausting and nerve wracking to write. It might sound silly, but I feel you might understand it as you read it. Speaking of, I haven't been able to beta it yet, but I decided to get it out now rather than even later. I'll probably let it be like this until I've written the next part. Then I'll probably go through the whole story and fix both grammar and some story parts. It will be quite a job, but I feel like it will be worth it.

There. Done with the AN. That said, I'd like it if more of you left a review^^.

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**Disclaimer:  
**«I do not own any of the following pictures, music, characters or the original universe. I only own the story itself and the idea.»  
Not yet betaed.

* * *

**A Bloody Rose - Part 15 - "****T****he Overdue Rest"**

* * *

I stood still. Time passed by, and soon it felt like hours. Had she left? I didn't know. She probably had. After what I said… after what she had learned… who wouldn't? But I wasn't sure. She could still be there; she could still be right behind me. But why would she? There was no reason why she would. That, and Yuki never stayed quiet for long. Still, I didn't dare to turn.

Time passed, and with it, my heartbeats seemed to slow down as well. Then, without warning, my heart jumped, rushing ahead of me, and leaving me short of breath. I clutched my hand, tugging it to my chest struggling to calm it down and get control of myself.

No, not now, it couldn't happen now!

My breath got caught in my throat; neither letting me inhale in new air or rid myself of the old. Ache. Pain. My throat burns. It won't stop, but the pain feeds the pain to create more pain.

Pain. Pain. Pain!

"Zero! Zero! ZERO!"

Something wrapped around me from behind. Something, hands? I looked down, and through a haze, I see something pale and long. And red. Red. Red blood. Blood.

"Stop it! Don't! Zero, get a hold of yourself!"

Blood, there's blood. Yuki. She is covered with blood. Yuki. Blood. Dead?

I don't know. I can't think. All I do… I… Blood.

My vision danced as everything in front of me are shifting in and out of focus. Yuki. The milky white haze got splattered with a crimson. Blood. The sound of a scream. Me?

Everything is nothing. And nothing is… Who? Who is… am.. I?

Me. I'm me. I'm Zero.

Or am I?

Pictures, memories. Snow. Blossoms. Hair.

The woman.

Shizuka.

"ZERO!"

I looked up. What was happening? The red. the white… it was one. And… whatever could it be - I didn't know. Then, a something, a face - I think it was a face. I blinked. The white mist came in once again and covered the world in a blur. Then, though the white, I could make out a few features. It was a face. It had to be that. Yuki. Was it her? Really? Could it? Was I dreaming? What was she doing here? Was she looking in my dream? That, or another mirage? She was dead? Was she? She should be. I think it was true. I had seen it. I had seen her die. The blood. So much blood. It was her blood and it was fault. I had taken her down. It was my fault. It had attacked her. It was over. She was dead - gone. Not here anymore - but still she looked down on me now. Who? She? Her?

I wasn't sure. How could I? I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I couldn't. It was so far and my body. It wasn't there anymore. Why? Why didn't it move? Was it .. could it be that I was dead as well? If that was the truth, it wouldn't be so bad.

Not really.

If Yuki was gone… She was the only reason I was holding onto this world, and with her gone, why would I stay? There were no use. There was nothing left for me beside her. Yes, that was the truth. It had to be. I had killed her. And then, while her blood was still warm between my fingers, I had ended it all. It was true. Yes. The pain. I had felt pain. Its tightening and squeezing, and the sharp pain in my throat. I had ripped it open, I had bled out.

In the end it was kind of comforting. Even though I didn't get to be with Yuki, the two of us was still together. In death, that, and the blood of ours was mixed together in a pool. It was grotesque, but that was how it was. The vampires would probably smell it. They would come. They would drink; feed on us. I hated it, but still, in a twisted way, it felt right. It was as if my life was finally on the right track again. I should have died that night many years ago. The woman, Shizuka, should have killed me. I should have died that night; as food for the vampires. But I hadn't. I had gotten much more than the death would give me. Pain. Suffering, Loneliness. Everything was a punishment that she laid on me for my parents doings. It had been her lover. The pain would have had to be big. A life of misery. And it had been so. All had been a dark nothing, and nothing but suffering.

All except for her. Yuki - my gentle light, my-

*SLAP*

I fell. I fell down, and down, and down. It was as a bottomless hole. Then, it was as if I fell down through the layer of clouds, and suddenly the world in front of me was clear. The haze was gone, the colors was more than white and crimson. Yuki. She was in front of me. She was alive. I opened my mouth, but before I got to say anything, another slap landed on my face. It burned. I wasn't sure if it was because it landed on top of where the previous one landed, or if it was because I was more aware of it. Still, whatever the reason, the slap is far heavier than a normal slap. As I thought this, I noticed with fear that she is once again lifted her arm. My eyes widened and, as the arm came down to deliver yet another blow on my face, I stopped it.

"Don't!"

She stopped. Her eyes widened as I suddenly move.

"You". Are you okay?

I blink. Okay? Was I okay? "How can be? I'm beat up!"

"You?"

"No, You." I scowl at her.

She looks confused for a bit, but then it seem so come to her what I mean. "Ah, oh. This. I ehm… Well. I…"

"You really are quite a work, aren't you? I mean, really; to beat me up like that. A defenceless person just lying still."

"I… Zero…. You were…"

"I was what?" I ask, knowing that I probably won't like the answer I will get. "What is it, Yuki?".

She looks away, avoiding my gaze.

"Yuki," I urge her. "Tell me. You must tell me what I did." Then the fear hits me. What if it was truth in what I had seen. What if I had... "Yuki!" I grasp her by the shoulders. "Did I? Are you?"

"Huh?" She looks at me, but, seeing the panic in my eyes, she quickly shakes her head. "No, no. I'm fine. You didn't… Not me..."

Not her? What did that mean? Could it be someone else? Had I hurt someone else? I look around the room, but there is no one there. Not a soul, just blood.

Blood! I panic. There is blood everywhere. The sheets are sprayed with blood, the wall, and the floor… The floor is the worst. I look down at the floor where I'm sitting and see the pool of blood. Then me. My shirt - my white shirt. It's not a white, it's a crimson. Blood. It's drenched in it. I look down at my pants. Also these are covered with red spots.

It's all blood. I can see it, and, at the same time, I also smell it. The blood is fresh. I sniff, and my senses tell me that the blood is fresh. But then...

"Zero… I really think you should-"

"Yuki." I pin her with my gaze. "Whose blood is this. Tell me."

"I-It's… Zero, you… It's yours."

Mine? Was she saying this was all my blood. It couldn't be, could it? It was so much of it - at least 2 litres. It couldn't be me. If it was, then I should have been-

I suddenly feel dizzy. Closing my eyes, I focus on my breathing and inhale slowly, exhale and inhale again.

"Are you?"

Yuki touch my shoulder, but I don't reply. I focus. I breathe.

If what she said is the truth, then I should have been dead - and at least not as capable and aware as I was. No, there had to be something else. As I calm down a bit, I reach up to my throat. It was nagging me and, as my fingers touched it, I understood why. My dream, the haze, the mirage, it had all started with my throat. It had burned, had suffocated me. Had that been real? Had I really had problems breathing? or, could it be that I had already been in a haze and that the suffocation had been a part of the illusion? I didn't know. It was so many things that was unsure. I didn't know enough, but maybe…

"Yuki," I looked up at her. "The blood… it's so much. My troth, it couldn't bleed that much."

"It… No." She looked at me with big, serious eyes. "It didn't. Or, I mean, it did bleed, but it's nothing serious. I looked - just to be sure - but it's not anything serious."

"But then?" I let the question hang in the air.

"Puke." Yuki looked at the wall and the sheet. "You… I'm not sure what happened. You turned away from me, and then, suddenly, you just threw up. I only heard the sound at first, but then I saw the blood, and-" She shivered. "I didn't know what to do. It was just so much blood. And then you threw up again, and then you staggered and fell. I managed to save your head. but you just kept throwing up. It was like it never stopped, but then it did, and then I-"

"And then you hit me." I finished.

"Yes, but I-"

"I know." I cut her off. I understood why she had done it. To see me lying there like that… She had tried to wake me up - and succeeded. It had been the right thing to do - although that second slap had been unnecessary. "You did the right thing," I told her. "You probably saved me."

"Oh, I-" A pink shade appeared on her face and she was quick to look away. "I just… I mean..."

"Thank you." I gathered my legs under me and stood up.

"Careful!" Yuki jumped onto her feet and grasped onto me to lend me support. "You should stay still. You've lost all this blood and I think the headmaster-"

"No. Not the headmaster." I shook my head. "There is no need for him to come here."

"But the blood?"

"It's quicker if we just clean it up. Besides," I looked over at my nightstand, "it's not mine."

"Not yours? What do you." Her eyes widened. "You didn't-?"

"Of course I didn't!" The thought disgusted me. "What do you think of me?"

"Ah oh, no, I'm sorry, I just..."

"The tablets." I sighed. Her expression was a confused one. "The tablets. They are a supplement of blood, although they are not real, they still behave as if they were. As they are eaten, they such up the liquid in the system and becomes a more blood like substance."

"So it was just the fake blood that you threw up?"

"Yeah…"

"But why? You're not supposed to throw up by them are you?"

"Well, you're not exactly supposed to take a dozen packages at once either."

"A-a! A dozin!" She almost shouted. "Zero, you-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I could have overdosed. I get it. I won't do it again."

Her eyes were still big from the shock.

"Stop looking at me like that, will you?" I freed myself from her grip and walked over to the door and made sure it was locked and that the key would block any attempt of opening it. Then, letting out a grunt, I moved over to the bed and sat down on it. It was all a big mess. Not that my room used to be clean or anything, but there wasn't usually blood smeared everywhere.

I looked around. It was such a mess - and this time I couldn't wait around for my roommate to clean it up. No, that was not an alternative. I sighed and looked around for a place to begin. The best would probably be to get up the blood. I forced myself onto my feet and went over to the dresser by the wall. Here I opened the door to the bottom piece and grabbed what was inside. I had been right - it was a big roll of paper. My roomie was very neety, but he also had a lot of allergies in certain times of the year, and so he had to blow his nose several time a day and also during the night. Because of this he always made sure to keep paper close by in case something would happen.

"Here," I threw the roll at Yuki. She looked up, and just too late she realized that the roll was heading for her.

"Ah! Zero!"

I laughed as I listen to her complain. "You should have been able to catch it you know. I mean, what kind of guardian are you? Are you supposed to protect the humans against vampires? How are you going to do that if you get defeated by a roll of paper?"

"Y-you!" She snorted and looked away , but the turned to poke her tongue at me.

I smiled as I returned my attention to the dresser. Inside I got out yet another roll of paper and started to unravel some of it. Then, putting the rest of the roll down beside me on the floor, I kneeled down and laid the paper on to of the red liquid. The red soon soaked through the white paper and I was once again reminded of the haze. It had just been imagination, but still scared me that it had had such an effect on me.

Getting out a new handful of paper, I pick of the soaked ones and carry them over to the trash can. I look over at Yuki, and seeing her do the same, I bring the trash can over to her.

"Thanks," she dumps her own soaked paper in it and looks up at me. "Zero, do you have any soap?"

I nod and point to the dresser. "On the left. It's an orange bottle."

Yuki got on her feet and walked to dresser and pulls it out. "Hm, nice. Yasmin?"

"Don't ask me" I shrug. "It's not mine. It's my roomie - you know how much he likes to clean..."

"Ah yes, that's true." She grabs the bucket placed beside the dresser and pours a bit a sope in in before filling it up with water from the tiny sink. "It's handy though. Not only for this, but in general too."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I mean, you hate to clean, so it would have been a problem if you didn't live with him."

"I guess," I had to agree. Although the students were allowed to do pretty much whatever they wanted when it came to their rooms, there was a strict rule about the tidiness and hygiene in the rooms. It was a pain in the ass, and those that didn't keep up to the standard of the rule got a punishment that was far too strict. So, in that way, I was lucky. "You're pretty lucky youself, Yuki."

"Why?"

"Living with the headmaster I mean. You don't really have to worry with that guy around."

"He's not that bad!"

"I didn't say that he was." I cut her off. "Just that he's giving you a slack."

"He's not!"

"You sure?" I looked down to her bucket.

"Wha?" She followed my gaze. It was a mess. The girl had clearly poured too much soap in the bucket, and it was now flowing a white mass from the bucket, down the sides and to the floor. "Woah!" Surprised, she lets go of the bucket and it falls to the floor and falls to the side, spilling the water over the floor. "Oh! Oh…."

I sigh, but still, I can't help but smile. "Nice job, kid. Now, lay down and crawl?"

"What?"

"You're the cloth, right?" I grin at her and she pouth her mouth. "Come on." I tease her. "down on the floor with you."

"Don't be silly! I'm not-"

Before she gets to complete the sentence, I've grabbed hold of her and pulls her down on the floor with me. I hold her gaze for a moment, and then I start to tickle her.

"IIk! No! Zero, stop- S-stooop! I-I hah, don't- don't - I'll-hah-"

"You'll do what?" I continue, working my hands from her stomach and over to her sides. The whines get higher. "You'll do what, Yuki?"

"No- I- hihi~ kill you~"

Amused, I stopped the tickling. "Oh?" I met her eyes and she looked up at me. "Really?" I let my index finger run along her side. A shiver run through her as I made sure to keep the touch light enough so that it barely tickled her. She was totally and absolutely in my mercy, and she knew it. She had always been super ticklish, and I had always known just how to use that.

"Yuki…" I kept the gaze between us. The playfulness in me suddenly shifted, and I was once again well aware of the situation. Her eyes; big hazles looking up at me. Her face, surrounded by hair that now was wet from soap. The face. So smooth and perfect, her lips. Her lips. Her kiss. I could still feel the sensation of her lips from when they were pressed against mine. I could still feel it, yet it was like I had forgotten. My lips shivered; they longed to recall the feeling, the touch. Her touch.

It wasn't her touch. It had never been. It had been me. It had been wrong.

* * *

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